Marseille Reserve Player Brice Nlate Ekongolo Seriously Injured in Car Accident in Cameroon
Brice Nlate Ekongolo, a promising young player from Olympique de Marseille’s reserve team, suffered serious injuries in a traffic accident in Yaoundé on Saturday.
The Cameroonian midfielder, who had returned home for the holidays, was preparing to join training sessions with the Indomitable Lions ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. However, his hopes of participating in the tournament now appear bleak.
According to Camfoot, a local football news outlet, Nlate Ekongolo sustained severe injuries to both knees and is expected to be evacuated to France for urgent treatment. “The flight has already been booked. He’s leaving tonight,” confirmed Etienne Tamo, a member of the FECAFOOT General Assembly.
Eyewitness Soleil Nyassa, General Director of Canon Yaoundé, described the scene: “I was returning from Mfou when I saw a crowd around a vehicle on the road. I approached and learned that it was a Lion involved in a serious collision. He was taken to the Caisse hospital.” Nyassa added, “When I visited the hospital, I learned it was Nlate Ekongolo. He had both knees injured.”
Following the accident, FECAFOOT’s Secretary General, Tombi à Roko, arranged for the player’s evacuation with the help of the federation’s travel officer.
This unfortunate incident has cast a shadow over the young player’s budding career and leaves Cameroon without a potential squad member as they prepare for the continental competition.
